From Afar
by thisnthat9
Summary: AU set after ADWD. TBC.
1. Chapter 1

Sansa watched, half-hidden behind a pillar, as Sandor Clegane happily played with his oldest child – a boy. He could have been one of Sansa's own siblings, by the look of him; he had his father's colouring entirely – grey eyes and dark hair. It was a rare occasion to see her man-at-arms smiling, but if one of his two children were around, it was a safe bet that he'd be smiling at some point in their presence. He was less angry now, after his time on the Quiet Isle and since his marriage.

She couldn't help but smile herself as she watched Sandor toss the boy into the air just above his hands and then catch him deftly. The boy – his name was Lucion – was nearly five and had been born just after Sansa had turned fifteen. She remembered the day, mostly how out of sorts Sandor had been, and nothing she could have done or said would have made any difference, so she simply watched as he paced nervously along the halls awaiting his firstborn.

As a child and hostage in King's Landing, Sansa had held a terrified fascination for the Hound. There had been an attraction, to be sure, and she knew that he wanted her, but he was also horribly angry and drank a lot, so fear had outweighed any attraction she'd had for him. Now that she was grown – a woman of twenty – she was no-longer afraid of him, but found herself with a deep longing for the man.

It had hurt her so badly when he had come to her at last, but had been towing along a pregnant wife. Sansa herself was now Lady of Casterly Rock and still married to Tyrion Lannister, it was true, but theirs was not a marriage of love by any means and Sansa was still a maiden. She'd come to love Sandor at some point between the night he'd left her in her room and when he bent his knee before her at Casterly Rock and so to find him out of her grasp when he'd finally reappeared to her had nearly ripped her heart out.

What Sansa wanted more than anything was to steal Sandor away from his lowborn wife. Steal him away and make him hers forever. But he seemed happy and he loved his children and Sansa had no idea what she'd even do about Tyrion if Sandor was even willing to be hers, so instead, Sansa watched. She watched with a broken heart as his son grew. She watched his smiles and their laughter together, and she watched as his wife once again grew large with child. She watched as he was weak for his daughter and made sure the girl wanted for nothing. She watched another woman's husband while her own was away in King's Landing serving his queen, and she thought that it was maybe worse being a Lannister captive this time around.


	2. Chapter 2

Tyana knew her father had paid Sandor Clegane to marry her. He'd had no mind for marriage, only wanting to get out of the Vale of Arryn and back to the Westerlands while avoiding the Saltpans, however, when he happened upon her father's inn in Gulltown, he'd had no money. In exchange for free boarding and enough money to get to Casterly Rock where Tyrion Lannister was Lord with his lady wife Sansa Lannister, Tyana's father had made Clegane marry his troublesome middle daughter and take her away and make her lady of his keep. She didn't know why he agreed until, nearly a year later, they arrived at Casterly Rock and Tyana set her eyes upon Lady Lannister. They had the same hair colour and nearly the same colour eyes and hers was the name that fell from her husband's lips in his sleep.

Before they even arrived at Casterly Rock, Tyana knew two things for certain about her husband. The first was that while he did not love her in the slightest, he very much loved his unborn child that she carried in her belly. The second was that Sandor Clegane's heart belonged almost wholly to Sansa Lannister. He said nothing of it while conscious, but every night when he slept and had no control over himself or his mouth, the only coherent sounds that ever came from him in his slumber were the syllables of her name.

It was clear to her that Sandor didn't want her to know anything to do with how he felt about Lady Lannister, so she said nothing. It was clear to everyone but her own husband that there was no love between Lord and Lady Lannister. They were amiable enough, but clearly saw each other as friends rather than lovers. Sansa was sweet to her husband; she was the perfect high-born wife for the Lord of Casterly Rock (aside from having borne him no children). It surely must have been this genial aspect of their relationship, which must have fooled Sandor Clegane into believing that Lord and Lady were in love. And even if he had noticed the truth – that his lady had no love for her husband – he'd never think himself worthy of her or even have the audacity to dream that she was just as in love with him as he was she; which was plain to anyone with eyes.

Most people in Casterly Rock seemed well aware that Sandor and Sansa were in unrequited love with each other. They both moped around the castle in the same way and put up the same front for each other. It was clear to Tyana that the affection Sandor showed for their children – Lucion and Fynch – was true, and it was probable that Sansa took true love for his children and his faithfulness to mean that he was also in love with the woman who had given him said children. On the contrary, Sandor's faithfulness had more to do with a lack of interest in anyone but Lady Lannister coupled with not having to pay to bed his own wife.

* * *

It was a sunny afternoon when Tyana happened upon Lady Lannister watching her husband and son from behind a pillar. She quietly snuck up behind her lady before saying anything.

"You love him. Don't you?" Tyana asked quietly, forgoing formalities and causing Sansa to start and quickly turn facing her.

"Pardon?" Sansa inquired politely. "I was only wishing to have a child of my own. Your son is beautiful."

"Thank you m'lady," Tyana respectfully bowed her head, but grinned at the slightly younger woman. "But truly, you do love Sandor, don't you?"

"I would never try to take your husband from you, Lady Clegane," she replied quickly.

"You wouldn't need to try, he'd come willingly if you only asked him to."

"Why are you saying these things?" Sansa implored.

"It's only the truth. My father paid him to marry me. He only did it because he needed the money to get here to you. Every night, I listen as he dreams of you. It would please me if you would just tell him you love him so that he could stop moping about and being so sullen all the time. He's heart broken over you, did you know? He thinks you in love with Lord Lannister, when everyone else can clearly see that the only thing between you and your husband is friendship."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"He's taken me away from the hardships of being the daughter of an innkeep, brought me to a castle, made me a lady, and given me two beautiful children. On top of all this, he has been kind. And now… I have a chance to repay him. He is miserable and heartsick. All I can do is tell you and hope you'll go to him as I know you long to. It isn't much, but it is a thing I can do."

* * *

ugh. blahblah words. this is so bad, i'm sorry. it's just a sort of drabbly idea i had. i don't know.


	3. Chapter 3

Tyrion had told her years before that should she ever want to take a lover, as long as she was relatively discrete about it, he would have no issue with it. He even went so far as to suggest that she should take a lover with either Stark or Lannister colouring so that when she bore him a child, no one would suspect that the heir to Casterly Rock was a bastard. Sansa didn't recall this until Tyana told her that Sandor was in love with her and that she was free to take him if she wanted. She nodded at his wife and then glanced back at Sandor. He was standing still, holding his son against his chest and looking questioningly between she and Tyana. Sansa's eyes met his and for a second she could hardly breathe. The confusion was fine, but the longing she saw in his eyes for the first time was like being punched in the stomach by Ser Meryn. She looked away and quickly left for her chambers to think for a while.

In her rooms, Sansa sewed for a while, but deciding she couldn't fully concentrate on that, she wrote a letter to Tyrion, asking him for advice. If she were married to anyone else, Sansa would be terrified of her husband finding out that she was even thinking of being adulterous, but as it was Tyrion and they had become close friends over the years, she would feel wrong keeping such a thing from him. She had the maester send it with a raven to King's Landing. Until she heard from Tyrion, she decided that she would think things over and do nothing.

Sansa waited a week to hear back from Tyrion. In that week, she found herself unable to stop staring at Sandor Clegane. For five years, she'd been trying not to look at him – trying not to see what she couldn't have. Now that she knew what she did, she couldn't stop looking. And since she was looking, she couldn't help but notice the way he looked at her. _Had he been looking at her like this the whole time? How could she have missed it? _It was plain that it was painful for him to even look at her and every time their eyes met, it was like a mailed fist to her belly.

On the seventh day of waiting for Tyrion's reply, a raven arrived at Casterly Rock – but it was not a raven for Sansa Lannister. Sansa felt let down when she discovered that the letter was for Sandor instead. Hopefully he wasn't being called to King's Landing for anything; she couldn't bear to have him taken away from her now that she was so close to having him as her own. She went to her chambers after breakfast and it wasn't long after that there was a knocking at her door.

"Yes, come in!" she called.

Sandor Clegane stepped through the door and her breath caught. His eyes were to the floor and in his hands he held the letter he had received. She was close enough now to see the crimson wax and Lannister seal that had held the paper closed in transit. It was a letter from Tyrion, then, as the only other Lannister left was herself – and she generally tended to use Stark grey wax with the Lannister seal instead of the Crimson when writing on her own matters and not "official Lannister business".

"Your Lord husband has requested that I swear myself as your personal shield," he told her, handing out the letter for her to take.

Sansa scanned the letter quickly and saw that what he said was true. Tyrion had made a polite request and included a line at the end clearly meant for Sansa that suggested she go ahead with her plans. Sandor himself didn't look too happy about it and she wondered if perhaps everything had been a trick.

"I would like that very much," she told him sincerely. "But does it not please you?"

He said nothing, but the look he gave her was pure misery. Did he perhaps think Tyrion had done this on purpose to dangle what Sandor thought he could not have in front of him at all times? Sansa knew he had been placed as her sworn shield so that there would be no questions asked about why he was in her presence at all times, or even why he would be found in or around her chambers late at night.

"Do you know why you've been asked to take this position?" Sansa inquired.

"All I seem to have to offer you is a sword, but it's the best in the Westerlands. My Lady deserves the best of everything."

"While I'm certain that's part of the reason, I believe that my husband means for me to take you as my lover," Sansa told him and felt her cheeks colour in a blush.

He stared at her for a long while after that – seemingly trying to figure out if she was speaking truthfully or not. Sansa grew tired of his silence and spoke in explanation, instead.

"Your wife caught me watching you with your son last week. She told me that should I wish it, I could ask and you would be mine. Seeing the way you are with your wife and how you act with your children… I didn't want to ruin anything for you and I was certain you felt nothing for me anyway and that I've just been a stupid Little Bird, heartbroken over a married man who wants nothing to do with her. I just… I've loved you for so long and after that night when you kissed me and gave me your cloak, I thought I'd never see you again but then you were here and alive and at my feet… but there was Tyana and she was with child and I – I just…" Sansa trailed off as Sandor stepped toward her. He said not a thing but pulled her against him, tightly encircling her in his arms and pressing his lips to her hair.

* * *

Thank you so much to everyone who has left kind reviews. Not going to lie, I'm struggling with this one – whereas my high school au just kind of writes itself. This is nearly finished, so as soon as I'm done, I'll return to working on the high school story and continue posting chapters of that. I just needed a serious angst break here.


	4. Chapter 4

Tyrion worried when he got Sansa's raven, urgently requesting his immediate return to Casterly Rock. There were no more details in the letter she had sent than his presence was needed as soon as he could manage to get there. He had left the same day, rushing home to his rightful seat and his wife. Upon his arrival, he had found nothing seemingly out of order and it was not until after dinner that Sansa came to him in his chambers.

"I'm sorry to have called you away from your business, but I needed you here," she began. "It would be suspicious if I had started to show and you'd not been home in such a long time... I think it is soon enough to not arise suspicion."

"Suspicion?" Tyrion asked absently, not knowing what she was speaking of.

"I'm with child," she admitted. "Never fear, though, I expect the children to look Northern – like my father and be passible as our own."

"Ah! So we're to have a pup?" he inquired, meaning the child of Sandor Clegane. Tyrion knew he should be upset or care more that the heir to Casterly Rock would be a descendent of its former kennel masters, but it felt to nice and a slight to his father so he grinned instead. "I'm certain no one will question the parentage of my heir when he certainly will look as Northern as your father."

To keep up appearances, Tyrion stayed at the Rock throughout his wife's pregnancy. It would not do to leave her alone to bear his heir while he was off at King's Landing with the Queen. They were amiable as always but he found the way Sandor Clegane tip-toed around him to be nothing short of hilarious. At this point in their relationship, Tyrion had absolutely no desire to bed his wife and could not have cared less that the Hound was doing his marital duties for him, all the better, in fact, as Sansa was clearly a willing participant in it. He had women to entertain him back at King's Landing and if he so pleased, he could go whoring in Lannisport. He kept himself discrete throughout the pregnancy, though, so as not to shame Lady Lannister.

He watched as she grew bigger and bigger and bigger. Eventually, the day came that a girl came running to his room one morning to alert him that his wife was in labour. By the time he had waddled to her room, Sandor Clegane had found out and was pacing nervously outside the room. Tyrion calmly watched the giant man from his comfortable chair outside the door to Sansa's chambers. She was his wife and the child would be his heir, but he had no great feeling for it yet as it was not his child. Perhaps, he thought, he would come to love the child as he had Tommen and Myrcella, but probably no more than that. He waited impassively, watching as Clegane's fists clenched and unclenched as he paced. The other man suddenly froze when Sansa cried out. Tyrion watched his gaze flick to the door with a pained expression and then he grimaced and turned away. As someone else's lady wife, none of this was for him to worry about, however, as it was his child who would be born, there was a great deal for him to be concerned with; his child and his lady in truth.

After a while, Tyrion could stand it no longer and rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Well, I've had about all I can stand of this," he announced. "Come Clegane, Lady Lannister needs us." By which, of course, he meant his wife needed the other man and would probably prefer he not be there. It would be odd, however, if Sansa's shield was there but not her husband, so Tyrion entered the room a step behind Clegane.

He sat at Sansa's bedside as Sandor Clegane looked on worriedly from across the room.

"Clegane, I must beg a favour of you," he began. "My Lady wife needs a hand to squeeze but I fear she will break mine if I offer it. Yours are much larger than mine, take her hand."

He could see the gratitude in the man's eyes as he took his place on the other side of the bed from Tyrion and took Sansa's hand in his great one. Sansa afforded him a small smile for this and he decided that his good deed of the day had been done.

It took hours before his heir was born. It was a boy with the colouring of his mother. She seemed to think the child looked like her brother, however, and insisted upon naming him Robb after the slain King in the North. Tyrion acquiesced and Clegane didn't seem to care either way but stared in rapture of the child he had sired. The boy was beautiful, Tyrion had to admit as the child was wrapped and handed to him. He knew that he should let the father hold him, but seeing the brand new life made him selfish. The boy would be known as his and at least here he had done something good, for all they spoke of him as a monster, at least they would think that Tyrion had given his wife and the Westerlands such a perfect child.

It wasn't long before everyone in the room realized all at once that Robb was not the only child Sansa would be birthing. The only thought in Tyrion's head was a plea that it would be a son and not a daughter. Casterly Rock – nay, Westeros itself – could not handle another set of incestuous Lannister twins. He got his wish when the second boy was born. In this child, he saw none of the Tullys of the Riverlands – the boy was a true child of the North all dark hair and grey eyes. A good thing he was born second, Tyrion thought.

"Ah, the heir to Winterfell," he announced as the child was wrapped up and placed into Sansa's reaching arms. "Shall we name him Eddard?"

He was met with the wide-eyed gaze of his wife and he smiled gently at her.

"You didn't think I would be Lord of Casterly Rock and Winterfell and let one go to waste, did you?" he asked her. "The North needs another Eddard Stark. Of course, I don't mean to say anyone could ever replace your father, but this boy is clearly a Stark and he must be named as such. Do you not agree?"

"Of course my lord," Sansa replied softly. "I cannot ever thank you enough."

"Nonsense. As soon as the children are old enough, say ten, as they will need to have formed a bond with each other, you shall have to take Eddard north and teach him to be a proper Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, and I will remain here with Robb and he will be taught all the ways of being a proper Lannister," Tyrion explained. "You do want to go home, don't you Sansa?"

The smile on her face was answer enough.

"And of course your loyal sword will have to come with you," he said, glancing at Sandor Clegane who was glancing between his children as though he could not believe they were real. Clegane looked at him then and nodded once. The man certainly had no like of Tyrion, but he could tell Clegane was thankful and knew he owed a debt to the dwarf. "Be sure to keep a close eye on the boys while they are growing, won't you Clegane?"

In just a few words he knew he had ensured a life for Sansa where her love would be close by as well as ensuring that Clegane would be able to have an active part in the lives of his sons. _A very good day indeed_, Tyrion thought to himself.


End file.
